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Cancer Prevention
The San Francisco Firefighters Cancer Prevention Foundation (SFFCPF), founded in 2006 by Tony Stefani, is committed to the prevention and early detection of cancer and providing access to cutting-edge care for active and retired members of the SFFD and their families. The goals of the Foundation are based on scientific research, education, cancer screenings, and health navigation. Through this research and advocacy, the SFFCPF aims to improve public health and end the threat of job-related cancer in the firefighting profession.
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Firefighters are at a significantly greater risk than the general public of developing certain cancers and more than 300 San Francisco Firefighters have died from various types of this disease since the SFFCPF
was founded. This volunteer-based nonprofit has grown to become a leading organization for the early detection, treatment, and support of Firefighters with cancer. The Foundation educates Firefighters on cancer risks they face, provides free cancer screenings, and assists families in the first steps post-diagnosis.
The SFFCPF has also been directly involved in legislation and advocacy e orts, including implementing Cancer Presumption legislation, overhauling the Toxic Substances Control Act, and banning flame retardant chemicals.
BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and throughout this time, United Fire Service Women helps raise awareness and funds through t-shirt sales to fight breast cancer. All of the proceeds raised are donated to charity, including the SFFCPF and Bay Area Young Survivors. Approximately 16% of the Department’s Firefighters are women; and of that number, 15% of female Firefighters between ages 40 and 50 years old have been diagnosed with breast cancer, which is six times the national average.
EXPANSION OF HEALTH NAVIGATION SERVICES
Since its founding in 2006, the SFFCPF has provided health navigation services to the active and retired members of the SFFD in their battles with cancer. These services include financial assistance with second opinions, genomic testing, and travel assistance when necessary for treatment.
In September of 2020, the Foundation announced with great enthusiasm the expansion of the health navigation program to serve Firefighters with cancer outside of San Francisco to several Bay Area Departments. All active and retired members of the fire service in District 4 and 5 of the California Professional Fire Fighters (CPF), extending from Sonoma to San Jose, are eligible for health navigation and financial assistance. The SFFCPF is now working with local coordinators in the participating departments and unions to provide services to our increased caseload. This is a pilot program made possible by generous supporters which the Foundation hopes to expand over time to more of California.
IMPROVING ACCESS TO BENEFITS FOR CALIFORNIA FIREFIGHTERS
The SFFCPF is working with State Senate Pro-Tem Toni Atkins and the CPF to support Senate Bill 1127, which will benefit Firefighters battling cancer for the first time and, just as importantly, Firefighters with recurring cancer who currently fall through the cracks of the workers compensation system.
2022 IGNITING HOPE GALA
After a pandemic-caused postponement, the SFFCPF celebrated the organization’s 15th Anniversary with the 2022 Igniting Hope Gala. This event honored distinguished White Helmet recipients: Jonathan Terdiman, MD, UCSF; Madhulika Varma, MD, UCSF; and Daniel Maloney, MD, Kaiser on March 26, 2022. These medical professionals have gone above and beyond working on behalf of Firefighters battling cancer and deserve this recognition and appreciation from our entire profession.
SFFCPF FUNDED RESEARCH & COLLABORATIONS IN PROGRESS
2021 PFAS-FREE TURNOUT BIO-MONITORING STUDY WITH STANFORD
SFFCPF and Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research at Stanford University have partnered together to study prototype PFAS-free turnouts. Manufacturers are claiming these newly designed and manufactured turnouts are PFAS-free and will evaluate durability and comfortability. However, this study will determine what, if any, other biologically harmful chemicals/metals are used as a replacement for PFAS and how much is absorbed in the human body at specific time points. The study is designed to sample the actual material used in both the current SFFD and PFAS-free turnouts, as well as biologically monitoring SFFD participants for PFAS and metals through blood, urine, and skin tape samples. Although this is a preliminary study, we are hoping to gain enough information to expand the study design or focus on a particular aspect of the new PFAS-free turnouts in order to gain more data for targeted studies. We began sampling in March of 2021 and Stanford will be publishing the results of this study.
INCREASED PROTECTION FOR WILDLAND FIREFIGHTERS
In the immediate aftermath of the 2017 Northern California wildfires, SFFCPF partnered with leading researchers on a series of groundbreaking studies investigating short-term and long-term health impacts of exposure to California wildfire smoke. Post-exposure studies examined Firefighters who battled the 2017 Tubbs fire, the 2018 Camp Fire in Paradise, CA, and other major wildland-urban-interface conflagrations.
The study results were released indicating that immediately post-fire, Firefighters were carrying in their bodies a mixture of chemical toxicants at levels higher than those found in the general U.S. population and on comparable levels to urban Firefighters battling structure fires. The majority of these chemicals are considered to be carcinogens, many of them associated with cardiovascular, reproductive, kidney, and liver dysfunction. Of special concern is the exposure to PFAS, some of which are immune-suppressors that damage the body’s capacity to protect against disease.
Wildland Firefighters are exposed to the same toxic chemicals as urban structural Firefighters but are provided with drastically lower levels of personal protective equipment. To address this safety crisis, the SFFCPF is joining health professionals, leading scientists, and Firefighter labor leaders on a CalOSHA Advisory Committee. This group will begin meeting in the summer of 2022 and will make recommendations for new standards to protect these Firefighters.